That’s the title of the DNC’s new ad campaign to support the President’s health care reform. This article explains how the President and his allies are “retooling” their message to appeal to those who already have insurance and are most likely to be wary of the government plan.
Beyond the specifics of their claims of “what’s in it for the already insured,” (which include things like regulations that prevent insurance companies from considering an individual’s health status, a benefit for some but a cost for others since that will mean higher health care costs spread to the healthy–this dynamic is of course ignored by advocates and most of the press), there is something appalling about the whole idea of government attempting to grow itself by such explicit pandering.
We aren’t supposed to be a nation that evaluates public policies based solely on how much I’m gonna get. Government is supposed to protect us from harm and make sure there’s a system of enforceable laws that protect property rights. It isn’t supposed to give me stuff at someone else’s expense. Advocates of health care reform seem to want to pretend that we can all get something without anyone picking up the tab. Americans know better.